Lesson 2: California's Regions

Key Idea

There are four main natural regions in California: the mountains, valleys, deserts, and the coast. When people first came to settle California, they looked for the best places to build their homes and start new lives.

Many settlers chose the coastal region. It offered mild weather and easy access to the ocean for fishing and travel. The steep mountains and hot, dry deserts were much harder places to live. Because of these early choices, most of California's largest cities grew along the coast.

Key Idea

As people settled and worked in California's different regions, they began to change the environment to meet their needs. They saw the land and its features as natural resources that could be used for farming, mining, and building communities.

To make farming possible in dry areas, settlers developed systems of irrigation, building canals and dams to move water from rivers to their fields. In the mountains, miners rerouted streams to search for gold, and forests were cleared to make way for growing cities and towns. These actions reshaped California's landscape, allowing the state's economy and population to grow.

Key Idea

As people changed California's land for farms and cities, some grew concerned. They believed the state's amazing natural landscapes should be protected from too much development.

One famous person was the photographer Ansel Adams. His powerful photographs of places like Yosemite National Park showed the beauty of nature.